


Closing Time

by Venticelli



Category: A Christmas Carol (TV 2019), A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol - Fandom
Genre: Affection, Anal Fingering, Awkward Crush, Blow Jobs, Character Study, Co-workers, Friends With Benefits, Friendship, Frustration, Gentle Kissing, Hand Jobs, M/M, Marley just feels like it is a lot..., Mixed feelings, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Office Blow Jobs, Office Sex, Power Dynamics, Power Play, Riding, Scrooge being bad at emotions and frustrating Marley to no end, Teasing, Workplace, Workplace Relationship, Workplace Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:07:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22262305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Venticelli/pseuds/Venticelli
Summary: The work day is long over, but there are two men who have still yet to go home for the evening at the offices of Scrooge & Marley. However, Marley has had enough numbers for one day and is determined to have Scrooge feel the same way. Of course, this is easier said than done when it comes to his work obsessed business partner. Still, Marley knows one sure way to get Ebenezer to look up from his books...if only for a little while.
Relationships: Jacob Marley & Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley/Ebenezer Scrooge
Comments: 8
Kudos: 30





	Closing Time

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! Sorry for being gone so long. I didn't have much time to write the past long while, but I recently found not only the time to write but the muse to. In my usual fashion, I have jumped head first into a ship that would make most people ask "are you sure about this?", but well...I refuse to apologize for having such a refined palette for ships. I had intended for this to be something short to just see if I could still do it and ended up writing like...so many pages worth of sexy shenanigans and power dynamics. I don't know why I keep doing this, but it is a lot of fun.
> 
> This is based on the recent FX version of a Christmas Carol since I actually quite liked the different angle they took the story. I also really loved Marley, but I've always had a softness for him. This takes place a couple years before the series, and Scrooge and Marley have a mutual agreement regarding...affection. This doesn't effect the timeline of the show at all and is just an addition and an exploration of Scrooge and Marley's relationship and Marley's mixed feelings.
> 
> So yes, hope you enjoy!

The sun was no longer in the sky and had not been for quite some time. The din of the daytime had long since faded, and both men sat quietly at their desks as they worked well past what most would consider the typical business day. Marley stopped for a moment to look up at the clock, and as if on cue it rang out, disturbing the quiet to chime the hour. Marley’s gaze trailed over to Scrooge who appeared undisturbed by the noise, his face still focused on the ledger in front of him. Only someone who knew to look, as Marley did, would notice the small motion of his lips as he counted to himself with each toll. It was a charming habit, maybe even cute, but he knew his business partner would recoil at such a sentiment.

Six o’clock...far too late for business as far as Marley was concerned. Easing back in his seat, he closed his book and his eyes, taking a moment to rest them. Normally, he’d be at home, or elsewhere, by now, the worries of the day shelved until the time for paperwork returned in the morning. Jacob breathed out slowly, his eyes opening to see Scrooge...in the exact same position he’d left him, quietly scribbling away on a page. Marley hadn’t noticed the sound of the pen on paper before, but now it was starting to grate on his nerves.

“Ebenezer,” he said softly, his tone somewhat scolding as he regarded the other man carefully. “Keep that up and you’ll be short on ink in the morning. I won’t be getting you any more when you inevitably run out...again.”

Nothing, not so much as a flinch. He knew damn well that Scrooge had heard him, actively making an effort to ignore him. Jacob wrinkled his nose and pushed his chair back, the unpleasant scrape of weight and wood drowning out all other ambient sounds. This time, the noise was enough to get Scrooge to pick up his head, an unamused look on his face. Marley knew this mood, and it took all his self control, what little there was of it, to not adopt the most devious grin upon his face. He placed his palms flat against the desk, meeting Scrooge’s sharp, steely, gaze with his own. Not breaking eye contact, he stood up and kicked his foot back, knocking the chair over with a loud clattering sound. Scrooge’s frown creased his face more deeply as his grimace turned into a scowl.

“Knock that off,” he said, only the lowest level of threat in his voice.

“Knock what off?” Marley retorted, struggling to keep a straight face now that he could see he was getting a noticeable rise out of his friend.

“You’re acting like a child.”

“Am I?” Marley batted his eyes, doing his best to look innocent. Well, as innocent as he was capable of being, which was admittedly an incredibly low bar. Scrooge huffed, and Marley could just about hear the string of swears on the tip of his tongue. “Oh, don’t look at me like that, ya dour bastard. Come along, the books will be here tomorrow.”

“You’re not funny, Jacob.”

“And you’re wrong. Now, get up or I’ll make you get up.” Marley reached across the desk, grabbing Ebenezer’s ledger before the other could even think to stop him. He looked affronted for a moment before his expression turned into an obvious pout, any pretense of maturity forgotten.  _ Now, who’s being a child? _ Sighing, Marley closed the book, placing it down just out of his companion’s reach. “And don’t look at me like that when I’m trying to get you to relax.” 

Scrooge’s expression hardened again, but this time there was more effort to it. Marley grinned, knowing he’d already won. Now, it was just a game to see who could be more stubborn, a skill they were quite evenly matched on. He made his way around to Scrooge’s side of the desk, trailing his fingers along the dark stained wood. Scrooge’s eyes followed him, blue eyes appearing dark in the light and extra keen with focus.

“Jacob,” he began, voice low and patronizing. He placed his pen down and sat up straight, putting on his best impression of what he thought a rational and calm person looked like. Marley rolled his eyes, but Scrooge did not falter in his conviction. “I am perfectly relaxed. I just want to get this done.”

“Well, you can’t have everything,” Marley shrugged, equally as undeterred. He hummed softly as he came up behind Ebenezer’s chair. His eyes brightened with an idea. Now, perhaps, this would count as cheating, but playing dirty was more fun anyway.

“If I can’t have this then I must have something else,” Scrooge replied unintentionally playing right into Marley’s plan. Though, there was a hint of slyness in his voice that gave Marley the faint impression that perhaps he knew just what he was getting himself into.

“That’s fair,” Marley replied, looking over the chair and down at Scrooge, a rare view, whose gaze had returned to his ledger still sitting on the desk across from him. Oh no, there was no way he was going to lose out to some ink and paper. He eased his hands over the chair, placing them on Scrooge’s shoulders. There was only a moment where the other man tensed, but just as quickly his posture slumped, finally giving in to the effects of a long day. Almost immediately, Marley began to knead his thumbs into the strain-knotted muscles of Scrooge’s back. Leaning forward on his toes, he caught a glimpse of the other’s face, eyes closed and mouth shut...for once. 

Now, that was definitely more like it.

“I think I know just the thing,” he continued, voice lowering as he drew his hands up to the other’s shirt collar, loosening his cravat easily with smooth, practiced, motions. Wordlessly, Scrooge undid the top few buttons of his shirt, his collar loosening to expose the pale flesh of his neck. Marley could feel his face grow warm, his heart fluttering for a few moments before he could shake it off. He’d thought he’d gotten the upper hand here, but of course, Ebenezer, the clever bastard, knew just how to fluster him.

Slowly, more carefully now, he continued to roll his thumbs up along Scrooge’s spine to the base of his skull. Still, his friend said nothing apart from the occasional soft sigh. The room had grown darker, illuminated now by only the two small, dying, candles on their desks and the sliver of light coming through the small break in their shutters from the gas lamps outside. In their glow, Marley could admire the sharp, attractive, features of Ebenezer’s face, softened now by the dim light. He felt his face grow warmer, made worse as the other leaned his cheek into his palm, even gaze catching his own. Where he had been trying to hide it before, Marley could see the fine creases of weariness upon Scrooge’s face. And of course, a small smile that told Marley that his own face had also given him away as well.

“I have a feeling it wasn’t just a little massage you had in mind for me,” Scrooge said pointedly, his smile still soft. Marley shrugged, tracing his fingers down and over the curve of Scrooge's neck as he walked around to the side of the chair, Scrooge's gaze following him with each step.

"What gave it away?" he asked, feigning ignorance...poorly.

"You always have an ulterior motive," Scrooge replied slyly, easing back into his chair. He hardly seemed displeased. Marley shook his head, but his face only felt hotter. He knew he'd been caught...though he supposed he hadn't been terribly subtle. "And of course, you have a particular way of walking when you're trying to hide something."

Marley shrugged, knowing he couldn't very well explain away that now noticeable bulge in his trousers. "Trying and failing apparently," he admitted, managing to regain some of his restraint. "In my defense, you look incredibly handsome in this lighting."

"I know."

"Of course, you know  _ everything _ …"

Scrooge shrugged, gesturing for Marley to come closer. There was a beat as Marley tried to decide if he wanted to be stubborn or not, but predictably, when it was Ebenezer he was weaker than he would have liked. Especially when he was looking at him like that, his gaze focused squarely on Marley's face, dark and sharp like cut obsidian, and a rare, self-indulgent smile creasing his face.

Marley silently walked over, placing himself between the chair and the desk, leaning back on his hands in a way that he hoped would convey confidence. Scrooge didn’t flinch, but his eyes no longer remained on the other’s face, trailing down to the silhouette of Marley’s cock, outlined in dark green fabric. Long fingers tapped thoughtfully against the armrests of his chair before his attention returned to the other man’s face.

"So, looks like I know why you were anxious to leave, Jacob. I'll have to double check your work since it's clear you were...distracted." As he spoke, he began to unbutton his vest, slowly and carefully, not fumbling once. Marley silently cursed to himself. His vest now open, the white linen shirt beneath, starting to wear thin from repeated use, left little to the imagination. Marley dug his teeth into his cheek, doing his best not to stare at the previously exposed collarbones and chest of the man who sat before him. He felt his cock twitch and press more against the hem of his pants.

Seems he wasn’t the only one willing to play dirty.

"Oh, don't tease. You know I do my best work when I want something," he retorted. Scrooge may have gained control of the situation, but that wouldn't last long if he could help it. "And besides," he continued, choosing his words with care as he moved away from the desk. He leaned forward, placing his hands on the sides of the chair. "I have a feeling you're not opposed to my mood. I would even go so far as to say you're encouraging it."

"Perhaps…" 

Marley's reply was caught in his throat as he felt a warm palm press against him, long fingers snaking between his thighs. "Mmh...fuck," he moaned as Ebenezer began to slowly rub the bulge of his cock, causing it to throb and swell to full mast with ease. He bit his lip, trying not to make too much noise, still unwilling to admit defeat so easily.

"Well, looks like you can't go just yet, not in this state anyway," Scrooge mused, though it sounded more like he was talking to himself.

"No, seems you go your way, as usual, about staying late, but…" Marley shifted his hips forward, pushing himself more into Scrooge's hands. Now, it wasn't just his face that was flushed, and as he glanced down, he could see he wasn't the only one enjoying himself. "I'd like to think I'm more interesting than numbers...at least at the moment."

Scrooge didn't try to debate him, and Marley wasn't about to let such an opportunity get away from him. With some reluctance, he managed to pull himself away from the other man's touch and eased himself down lower, his hands finding the Ebenezer's shirt, picking up where he had left off. Scrooge watched him intently, his breathing steady but deliberately so as his chest and stomach became more exposed, his appearance more vulnerable. Marley lightly placed a warm hand on Scrooge's chest, eyes meeting for a moment. Scrooge nodded, still getting the final word on whether or not to proceed, but Marley would gladly give him this one.

Idly, Marley drew his fingers over the slight curve of Ebenezer's chest, admiring its shape and the fine, silver, hairs that defined it...certainly much more refined looking than the salt and pepper hairs that covered his chest more thickly. He lowered himself into the chair, placing his knees on either side of Scrooge's thighs, pressed up tight to the arms of the chair that only just fit the two of them.

He leaned in, placing soft kisses along Scrooge's jaw, enjoying the low sighs and hisses of pleasure that escaped him. Long gone was their "no kissing" rule, and in all honesty, it had always been more of a loose guideline. The kisses slowly made their way down Scrooge’s neck, and Marley felt the weight of hands on his hips, urging him down until the still clothed cocks ground against one another. 

Scrooge tugged at Marley’s shirt, untucking it part way from his trousers. “This all needs to go,” he said in between a soft moan as his companion rubbed himself harder against him. How he was able to maintain such a firm tone, even now, was never not impressive. “Jacob…”

“Bossy, bossy…” Marley chided breathlessly as he sat back, resting himself as comfortably as he could on Scrooge’s lap.

“You don’t want your clothes to get dirty. I’m sure you didn’t bring a change of clothes, and you’re not going to want to go outside covered in mess.”

Marley rolled his eyes, but Scrooge was right...as usual. “Very well,” he replied, managing a bit clumsily to remove himself from the chair. Beginning to get undressed, he paused and looked back over at Ebenezer looking quite uncharacteristically disheveled. “But...you should too.” He limply gestured to his friend’s remaining attire. “We don’t want a repeat of our previous incident.”

“I still can’t get that stain out. I do hope you’re happy.”

“I am.”

Scrooge scoffed, but stood up and pulled off his vest and shirt, folding them neatly before placing them on his desk. Marley tried not to stare as he removed his own clothes, tossing them to the side with less care. Looking back up, he turned to see that Scrooge did not share his discretion, openly leering at him as he toyed with the waist of his trousers. Marley felt himself blushing again, but this time it reached beyond his face and down to his neck and chest. He was softer...stockier than his companion in just about every way, but when Ebenezer gave him that look he felt like the most desirable creature in all of London. He cleared his throat, trying to shake off the intimate feeling, and fumbled to unbutton himself. 

It wasn’t his smoothest move, but right now, he was more worried about being efficient...and was failing at it.

“Here…” came Scrooge’s voice, moving closer to him now, his footsteps softened as he had already removed his shoes. “Let me get that for you.” Marley’s tongue felt thick, so he just nodded, feeling his cock throb insistently as Scrooge deftly pulled down his pants, freeing it from the confines of propriety. “There, much better.” Marley didn’t even have to look at him to know he had that frustratingly arrogant smirk on his face or to know that he found it even more frustratingly attractive.

“Thanks,” he replied, standing up on the balls of his feet to place a kiss on Scrooge’s lips. Without hesitation, his business partner kissed him back, one hand squeezing his ass and the other quickly finding his stiff cock. Marley moaned, long fingers wrapping around the thick shaft, palm rubbing him down until he could feel pre-cum starting to drip down over the head of his cock. “Mmphhf...uck,” he groaned, as one long finger teased his foreskin, pushing it back to play with the arousal gorged head of his dick. He pulled away from the kiss, burying his face in Scrooge’s chest and wrapping his arms around the other’s waist. Nails dug into the Scrooge’s sides as he continued to stroke Marley’s cock. “Shit...you’re gonna make me come…” Marley whimpered, biting his lip.

“Isn’t that the point?” Scrooge replied, sounding as cavalier as ever. Still, Marley could feel how fast his heart was beating. He was just as excited if not more so than he was. Though...that didn’t stop him from being as much of a shit as possible. Nothing in the world could get him to knock that off. “No need to be stubborn, Jacob.”

“Oh no you don’t,” Jacob managed to get out, only managing to just catch his breath. “And don’t call me stubborn when you’re the king of hardheadedness,” he added teasingly. Luckily, more out of distraction than mercy, Scrooge’s hand had stopped, allowing the other man to take a step back so he could lean against the desk. He hadn’t realized quite how cold their office was, especially when one was naked, and he was tempted however briefly to return to the other man’s arms. “Besides…” he continued, moving toward Scrooge once more. “If you kept that up I would have ruined another pair of your trousers.”

“You are rather sloppy…” Scrooge began, but his voice trailed off as Marley pulled down his already loosened dress pants. There was a moment where Marley could almost hear a question forming, but it was soon forgotten, giving way to an expectant silence as Marley eased down onto his knees.

"You like me that way," he teased, wrapping his fingers around the base of Scrooge's cock, every bit as stiff and needy as his own. For all his talk, that was one tell he could never hide. Marley flattened his tongue and dragged it over the tip of Ebenezer's cock, turning his gaze upward to enjoy the sight of him squirming, doing his best to remain composed despite very quickly becoming undone. Marley repeated the action, eagerly lapping until he could taste pearly precum on his tongue. Scrooge cursed, which only goaded him on further. Stroking the length of the shaft with his palm, he admired the subtle curve of it, how natural the motion felt to him, the tip of his tongue rubbing and teasing the now slick slit of the other's dick.

Scrooge whimpered, a most satisfying sound, and reached one hand down behind Marley's head, not too subtly urging him to quit teasing and get on with it. Marley hummed, pretending to be thoughtful in a way he hoped would be even more frustrating. The sound that came out of Scrooge was more of an irritated grunt this time, and Marley supposed he didn’t want to keep him waiting...too long anyway.

Taking the head into his mouth, he savored the taste, sucking a bit as he began stroking the length of Scrooge's cock once more with his hand. More moans came, but this time it was the both of them.  _ Fuck _ ...watching his normally so stoic business partner...friend and maybe something else (when he was feeling foolishly romantic) pant and groan, hungry for his touch and the warmth of his mouth was a lovely sight, and Marley's cock began to drip once more.

"You taste amazing, darling…" Marley sighed, kissing down along the length of the other's cock to the silver crowned base. He knew Scrooge usually didn't appreciate the sentimentality, but he also knew he was much more open to it when he was making noises like that.

"Then why did you stop?" The question was matter of fact, taking Marley out of his brief fantasy to find Scrooge staring down at him, looking impatient.

"I thought you weren't ready to go yet," Marley teased, nipping at the base and looking back up at Scrooge, gaze steady. He knew that other man was just trying to rile him up, but he wouldn't take the bait.

Scrooge huffed, visibly annoyed. “Never mind that. I’d just rather not get soft while you dawdle.”

“Oh  _ please _ ,” Marley countered, running his tongue from base to tip of Scrooge’s fully erect cock. Scrooge moaned, lost for a moment in pleasure, his face turning bright red. That was most certainly not what he’d hoped would happen, his expression briefly embarrassed once he remembered himself. Marley grinned, rubbing his thumb along the curve of the other’s shaft, causing it to twitch and throb under his fingers. “You know I never leave a job unfinished. Now, quit yer fussin’, or I will make you finish yourself.” Scrooge furrowed his brow, eyes narrowing as he silently calculated his next move.

“Fine,” he replied curtly. That hadn’t been the needy response Marley had hoped for, but it was the one he had expected. Leave it to Scrooge to still maintain his stubbornness when he was bare arse naked and hard. Marley knew he could be petty if he really wanted to be, but luckily for his companion he was feeling hornier than he was any other emotion. And it was hard to resist such a fine cock as Scrooge had.

Taking it in his mouth once more, he eased down along the shaft, humming softly as he went. One hand traced the line of Scrooge’s hips while the other slowly stroked his own cock, heavy and needy against his palm. Reaching the base of Scrooge’s dick, he began to suck more roughly. 

“FuUUuhck…” Ebenezer moaned, reaching down and weaving his fingers through Marley’s hair. Marley looked up, not stopping his work as he drew his head back. Scrooge’s head was tilted back as he muttered soft obscenities to the ceiling.  _ Good _ , that was just how he liked him. Marley stroked his cock with more urgency now, unable to keep from moaning now as he took Scrooge down and back again, swollen, sensitive head rubbing against the roof of his mouth and the back of his throat. Closing his eyes, he let himself fall into a pleasant rhythm, his thoughts fuzzy as he dutifully sucked the other off. 

This was far better than any paperwork.

Opening his eyes once more, he drew his head back until only the tip of Scrooge’s cock rested on his tongue as he turned a heavily lidded and dreamy gaze up to find the other man gazing down at him, his eyes soft as fond as he pushed his fingers affectionately through Marley’s hair and down to the base of his skull. A tingling sensation, almost like lightning, ran down his spine, causing another slick stream of precum to leak out of him, rolling over his fingers as his cock throbbed. 

Marley peppered kisses across Scrooge’s hips, slowly stroking his straining cock. He eased down lower onto the floor, nuzzling lazily at the base of his companion’s cock. “Mmmm...I’m so damn close...shit…” he panted. Scrooge’s hand still rested lightly on top of his head, filling his mind with romantic fancies that he didn’t bother to shake away.

“You're not alone in that..." Scrooge replied, voice trailing off in a way that told Marley that he'd had an idea. He stepped back, causing Marley to fumble forward onto his palms, surprised and suddenly very cold. He knew he should have thrown more coals into the fire, but that hadn't been a battle he was in the mood for that morning...he very much regretted that.

"A little warning woulda been nice," he pouted as he pushed himself back onto his ass, but Scrooge didn't seem to hear him. The coarse fibers of the carpet dug into his skin, and his frown deepened. So much for romance. 

He was preparing another cutting remark when he heard the faint creak of the floorboards. Picking up his head, he caught the tail end of Scrooge sitting himself down on the floor. He was reclining slightly, weight resting on his hands, and his legs were spread, inviting. Pale skin marked with faint patches of pink where Marley's kisses had turned more into bites. And of course, his dick, dimly illuminated in the fading light, stood erect and waiting impatiently.

"And you have the nerve to call me needy," Marley chided playfully. He stood up, grabbing Scrooge's shirt from the desk, folding it over a couple more times until it made a small cushion. Scrooge watched him silently, looking as he always did like he was trying to see through the other man as if his intentions would become clear if he just looked hard enough.

"I thought you said you weren't going to ruin another item of my clothes," he replied with only the faintest bit of resistance. An action more out of habit than actual thought.

"I'll get you a new one. You know I can afford it. Besides," Marley shrugged. He crouched down between Scrooge's legs and grinned. "This floor is awful hard, and if ya don't want that boney ass of yours sore you'll want a little extra padding. Now, be a good lad and lift your hips for me."

Scrooge did some quick mental calculations before complying, picking himself up just enough for Marley to tuck his folded up shirt beneath him. 

"Comfy?"

"Yes."

"Lovely…" Marley leaned in and placed a kiss on Scrooge's lips, pressing his torso flush against his. The warmth renewed some of the energy he had lost from the chill, and he moved to straddle the other's lap. Scrooge's hands found his waist, quickly moving lower to grab the soft plush of his ass. He moaned softly into the other man's mouth. He deepened the kiss, his tongue pushing into Scrooge's mouth with ease, his friend not hesitating to return the favor.

Marley carefully worked his hands up Scrooge's stomach and to his chest. Giving it a gentle squeeze, his thumbs quickly found the other's nipples, drawing light circles over them and causing Scrooge's cock to throb impatiently against his ass. He fully expected to get told to hurry up, but instead he felt the other draw back for only a moment and then eagerly closing the gap between them to start kissing his neck. Marley whimpered and arched his back, pushing himself more into Scrooge's mouth. Teeth and tongue grazed his skin as the other hungrily worked upon his flushed skin. The urgency and need of it made him think for a minute of beastly things like werewolves or, more fittingly, a vampire. A thought that didn't stop him from moaning but only seemed to make it louder.

"Ebenezer," he whined, his cock pressed snuggly between their bodies. "Please…" He pushed his hips back, rubbing his ass on Scrooge's cock. He could feel how wet the head was with precum, and instinctively he started to reach back, only to have Scrooge lightly smack his hand away.

Marley huffed, looking obviously frustrated and flushed as Scrooge pulled away from him. He wanted to bark at him to quit stalling, but before he could one of Scrooge's hands cupped his jaw, catching him off guard.

"Now, now, Jacob…" he nearly cooed. The soft, authoritarian tone of his voice made Marley perk up near instantly as Scrooge's gaze bore into his unwaveringly. "I know you're in a rush to get home, but there's a proper way to do things. And don't you roll your eyes at me. You're the one that taught me, and well, good things come to those who wait."

Marley furrowed his brow, attempting to look dubious, but that was quickly forgotten as he was made to watch Scrooge bring his other hand to his face. The shorter man's heart started to race as Scrooge carefully and deliberately wet his long...fuck they were so long...fingers with his tongue. Marley squirmed and whined, no longer caring if he looked needy or seemed over eager. He could feel his pulse heavy and persistent in the length of his cock, thick with lust, balls heavy with cum. Still, he kept his hands still in his lap...though his thighs were certainly going to be marked with the imprints of his nails in the morning.

First one finger, then the next, Scrooge worked him open with ease. Marley moaned and sighed as he felt the other's fingers slide easily inside of him. His whole body felt pleasantly warm, all his nerves firing off. God, he wanted nothing more than to touch himself, but Scrooge's gaze was steadfast and even, only the smallest smirk creasing his face as he watched his friend try not to succumb to his mounting pleasure.

" _ Good boy _ ," he said softly, the praise washing over Marley's body like cool water. Scrooge removed his fingers, and Marley couldn't stop himself from whining, missing the full feeling. "I think I've tortured you enough." Marley tried to nod, but with the other's fingers still firmly wrapped around the bottom of his face it wasn't as easy a gesture as it could have been. Scrooge returned the nod, though more curtly.

Marley reached his hand back, quickly finding Scrooge's. Lightly placing it on top, he could tell they were resting on something long...he lifted his ass a bit, spreading his legs somewhat awkwardly given the position, but grace was hardly needed. He closed his eyes, pressing his face into the curve of Scrooge's neck.

As if savoring the moment, the two eased Scrooge's cock inside until Marley could feel his ass pressed down against the other's hips, hot cock snug between his legs. His own cock throbbed, leaking translucent mess onto Scrooge's stomach, and he let out a low, satisfied moan….and he wasn't alone.

Scrooge's fingers dug into the flesh of his back as he groaned Jacob's name. Marley winced but only for a moment. He could only just register the sensation of nails digging into his skin over the pleasant fullness he now felt. He could only just contain himself, and as Marley lifted himself a bit, he shuddered as Scrooge's cock dragged across his arousal sensitive hole.

" _ Fuck… _ " he moaned, pushing his hips back down, taking Scrooge back down to his base once more. The other man didn't say anything but held him tighter. Marley’s heart was already pounding in his chest, but the gesture made it flutter. Despite his practiced coolness, even Scrooge could be moved, even if only to cling to someone he was fucking. 

Marley eased back a bit, pulling his face away from Scrooge’s chest so that he could rest more comfortably. He closed his eyes, slowly at first but quickly finding a steady rhythm of lifting and pushing his hips back down. Scrooge's cock throbbed inside of him, the sensation making him moan obscenely and with no hesitation. God, his partner felt just right, filling him perfectly, the head of his cock hitting just the right spot each time and leaving Marley a mess. With each stroke he felt himself grow more sensitive, his cock desperate for a friendly hand. Scrooge had taken to kissing his chest hungrily, hands moving from Marley's sides to his ass. Boney fingers spreading him wide as they urged him to go faster, more roughly. Marley did his best to obey, but he could already feel his legs starting to tire, his whole body hot and flushed.

Apparently not too lost in his own pleasure, Scrooge seemed to pick up on this, lifting his hips to help push himself deeper. "That's it, just like that," he replied, heavy praise layering his voice as he placed a hand behind Marley's head, pulling him in for a kiss. Instinctively, Marley leaned in, stopping his steady riding for only a moment. Before he could think to right this he felt the long shaft of the other's cock thrust back roughly inside him, causing him to let a yelp.

"Mmmph... _ bastard _ ," he cursed though he didn't look at all displeased. The sudden motion had shoved him forward, his cock grinding against Scrooge's stomach, drawing a glossy line of precum over it. Scrooge seemed to revel in the jab, his smile turning devious. Marley didn't even have a moment to catch his breath before he was getting railed again, Scrooge's hips thrusting repeatedly against him. He grabbed the other man's shoulders, doing his best to keep up with the quickened pace. His knuckles quickly turned white, and his teeth found Scrooge's neck, leaving angry indents as he bit down, his moans muffled against the other's skin.

The pair continued on like that, power shifting easily between them like the flow of the tide. Grasping hands found exposed skin and kisses landed wherever they could. Marley was lost in the heady fog of lust, but Scrooge was there right along with him. 

Panting from exertion, their pace slowed, and Marley once more regained his rocking pace of riding the other man who had taken to lying back on the floor, watching him from that position with self satisfied grin. After a few strokes, Marley eased back onto Scrooge's lap, taking a moment to catch his breath, but it didn't last long as he felt the other's fingers wrap around his stiff cock. Marley bit his lip, feeling himself practically leap into the other's hand.

"Come on. What did you say about not leaving any job unfinished," Scrooge said, gently rubbing his palm up and down the other's dick. Marley's breaths became shorter as he felt himself quickly heading towards climax. His stomach tensed, and his thighs were squeezed tight against Ebenezer's sides.

"Shit…Ebenezer…" he whimpered, only barely able to make out words between his breathy moans. "Wh-hat about you?" 

A silly notion, but he had hoped they could finish together. An opportunity that he had a feeling was quickly getting away from him.

"Don't worry," Scrooge replied, sounding much more matter of fact and put together. He pushed himself up on one hand. "I'm almost there...I just need to see you first." 

Marley's heart leapt into his throat, more than a little surprised by such an intimate sentiment. But he couldn't let himself get too caught up in it as Scrooge jerked his hips up, colliding hard with Marley's ass. He didn't even have a moment to think anything at all before he felt himself come just as suddenly, messily and all over Scrooge's hand and stomach. His head was swamped in the sudden warm glow of orgasm, only faintly aware of the rest of the world around him. His whole body relaxed, and he slumped comfortably onto Scrooge's chest. He could feel a few more uneven thrusts of a familiar, hot, cock pushing inside of him before a low, satisfied moan buzzed in his ear through Scrooge's chest. He sighed softly, enjoying the gentle sensation of his companion's cock pumping cum deep within him.

"That was fantastic…" Marley said dreamily, loosely wrapping his arms around Scrooge's middle. His breathing had eased as he listened to the other man's heartbeat return to normal. "Better than work?"

Placing a kiss on top of his head, Scrooge idly rubbed Marley's back. "Only just barely," he quipped, but Marley could hear the smile in his words. Carefully, they eased down onto the floor, still clinging to each other, the fire having grown weak and near burning out.

"I'll take it," Marley replied, stifling a small yawn.

They laid there a while in the near silence, deaf to the world outside and lulled by post-coital glow and the soft ticking of the clock. Neither bothered looking up at it until it began to ring out once more. Marley didn't stir from his half-asleep stupor, but Scrooge carefully propped himself on his elbows. Marley clung tighter to him, but Scrooge wasted no time peeling the other's arms from his torso.

"I thought you wanted to head home," Scrooge said coolly, his tone returning to its usual formal cadence. Marley sighed. He knew it wouldn't last, but he had hoped the warmth would have stuck around for a little bit longer. 

Rolling over, he allowed the other man up and gazed lazily up at the ceiling. "That was before I got so comfortable," he shrugged, focusing his attention on the lines of the moulding. He listened to the sound of Scrooge getting up and walking over to the water basin on the other side of the room. Marley crossed his arms across his chest, suddenly aware of the room's chill once more...or maybe it wasn't just the room.

"Well, we certainly can't spend the night here," Scrooge replied as he made his way back over to the spot on the floor that Marley had stubbornly refused to move from. 

"Maybe I will. Laying like this is doing wonders for my back," Marley replied, turning his gaze toward Scrooge who looked down at him appearing less than convinced. 

Wordlessly, Scrooge knelt down beside him, mercifully deciding not to pick at Marley’s mood. “Jacob,” he said, his voice softening. Marley flinched as Scrooge wiped off his mess covered stomach with a dampened cloth. He furrowed his brow slightly, wondering what angle his friend was getting at, but Scrooge just seemed to tending to him because he felt like being nice...most unusual. “We can’t have you walking out of the office looking like you just left a brothel. I hear they’re profitable, but I don’t have any taste for the work.”

“Don’t wanna share me?” Marley replied without missing a beat, some of his prickliness dissipating with the surprising tenderness. Scrooge let out something that could have been a rough laugh, but like most all of him, it was restrained. Still, Marley counted it as a victory. 

Wordlessly, Scrooge got onto his feet and began to put himself back together, gathering his clothes up, his brow furrowing slightly as he picked his shirt up off the ground. Marley watched him, pushing himself up into a sit and reluctant to get dressed just yet. Scrooge walked over to his partner's desk, picking up the chair from the floor.

"You don't have to pick up after me. I'm perfectly capable."

"And yet you aren't doing it," Scrooge countered, pushing the chair in and picking something up off the desk. Marley shifted onto his knees to see what it was, and much to his annoyance he spied the ledger back in the other man's hands.

“You can’t be serious…” Marley said, getting back onto his feet. “I mean, I  _ know _ you are, but really, Ebenezer.”

“There isn’t that much left to do,” Scrooge replied, placing the ledger down on his desk and sitting back in his chair. 

Marley sighed and went to pick up his clothes. No matter how hard he tried, how much of a distraction he tried to be, there was always one thing that came above all other things, business. It was disappointing to say the least but not a surprise. Trying to ignore the sound of pencil on paper, he got dressed. He looked at the clock and then back at the other man, a frown creasing his face as he pulled on his coat.

Grabbing his scarf, which Scrooge had placed back on his chair while picking it up, he tried to figure out something to say. He idly wrapped and unwrapped the scarf around his hand, walking back over to Scrooge’s side of the office. “It can wait until tomorrow. You know it can.” He tried not to sound too pleading, but the churning feeling in his stomach was making it difficult. How strange it was that his feelings could change so quickly what it came to dealing with Scrooge. He wasn’t sure if he’d call it a weakness exactly, but it certainly wasn’t a strength. “Come and...come and have a drink with me. Or, at the very least, take a walk, get some fresh air. The day is over, and it’s stuffy in here anyway.” Scrooge paused and looked up at the other man. It was subtle, but Marley was sure he saw actual consideration in the other’s eyes. “Please?”

“Well…” Scrooge began, scanning Marley’s face intently as if checking for any signs of deception. Most people squirmed under that discriminating gaze, but Marley was more than a little used to it. “I wouldn’t even be able to send these out today.”

“Because most sane people are home with their families.” 

Scrooge scowled, but the expression wavered into actual hurt. “I haven’t got one, and I don’t appreciate you bringing it up.”

“No, but you’ve got me,” Marley replied faster than he could realize what he had just said. Scrooge looked genuinely surprised, eyes widening slightly in a way that made him appear instantly younger. “Well, you know what I mean. I simply meant…”

“I know what you meant,” Scrooge replied, getting up from his seat. Marley didn’t move, but he was fully prepared for another one of Scrooge’s lectures. A lecture which didn’t come. “Yes.”

“What?”

“Yes, I will grab a drink with you.”

Marley blinked a few times, trying to make sure he wasn’t about to wake up. Had he legitimately gotten Scrooge to change his mind about something? It wasn’t so much that Scrooge never went out to the pub with him on occasion, but he rarely...maybe never, now that he thought about it, chose to do so when there was still work to do. He wanted to get a drink in lieu of unfinished work...that didn’t seem right. 

“You’re joking.”

“I don’t joke.”

“That’s true.”

Scrooge gathered up the papers on his desk, neatly placing them away in a drawer as Marley tried to keep from grinning too stupidly. He was certain if his partner saw him doing so that he would suddenly snap to his senses and sit back down at the desk, and he was not letting this miracle of chance get away from him. Or perhaps, it wasn’t just chance and Scrooge actually enjoyed his company when it didn’t serve a financial or carnal purpose. 

“Don’t just stand around, Jacob. I was nearly expecting you dash straight to the door the moment I agreed to a drink,” Scrooge said as he pulled on his gloves, already halfway to the door of their office. Marley hadn’t even noticed that the candles had been snuffed out, and he suddenly felt more than a little embarrassed.

“Sorry,” Marley shrugged, putting on his scarf and hat and quickly striding over to meet the other man at the door. “I just wasn’t expecting you to agree to it,” he admitted, unable to look over at Scrooge as they made their way into the front room.

“What can I say?” Scrooge replied dryly, making it hard for Marley to tell if he was being serious or not. “It’s all that natural charm of yours. You won me over.”

Marley bristled, placing his hand flat against the door to the outside but not opening it. “You’re making fun of me…” It figured.  _ God _ , he had been being silly before this think that Scrooge would even for a sec-

His thought was cut off by the sudden sensation of a hand taking his. He looked down to see that he hadn’t imagined it and that Scrooge was in fact holding his hand, though a little too tightly to be entirely comfortable, but that was hardly the strangest thing. He looked back up, more than a little confused to find the other man actually smiling at him. Legitimately...warmly even. It wasn't like any other smile he had seen him make before. Any protest Marley had disappeared in an instant, and his cheeks reddened, though he told himself it was just due to the cold wind that slipped in beneath the door. 

The racing of his heart was much harder to explain away.

Neither said anything for a few moments, but Marley was now quite sure then that Scrooge had meant what he said sincerely. He did find him charming. And maybe he even...Scrooge let go of his hand, but the warmth of what that had stirred deep in Marley's gut would not go away away, nor did he want it to.

"Alright," Scrooge said with a nod. "Lead the way."

"I always do," Marley grinned. He pushed the door open, locking it behind them and putting the key back in his pocket as the headed down the gaslamp lit streets together.


End file.
